Upernavik

Traveling from South to North (or visa versa) also provides a wonderful opportunity to go settlement hopping. Take advantage of the endless daylight under the midnight sun or the glow of the Northern Lights in the eternal polar darkness to explore each picturesque community and see if you can pick out their distinct dialects.

Kullorsuaq – one of the settlements that can be reached via Upernavik. Photo by Glenn Mattsing

Hunting is an important part of everyday life in the Upernavik area, with narwhals, beluga whales, seals, and polar bears all stalked by the local hunters. Although it may be possible to accompany a hunt, Melville Bay is a designated nature reserve and it is only local residents who have permission to take a highly regulated number of animals each year.

Fishing is also an important activity for Upernavik. Cod, redfish, and halibut are common catches either from a boat (summer) or through a hole in the ice (winter). Alternatively, head up to Eqalugaarsuit where the arctic char are plentiful during the allowed July/August fishing season. Make sure you obtain a fishing license first.

A tour boat and fisherman at work in Upernavik. Photo by Mads Pihl

For those interested in history, visit Kingittorsuaq Island near Upernavik where a Norse runestone (now in the National Museum in Denmark) was discovered in the centre of an equilateral triangle formed by three rock cairns in 1824. Dating from around the 13th century and inscribed with the names of three Vikings, this is the farthest north that any Norse artifact has ever been found.

Though Upernavik is located on an island, it (and all the other islands scattered throughout the archipelago) are great places to explore by hiking. Simply find a direction that looks interesting, tell others where you are going, and choose your own adventure. A popular short walk in Upernavik leads Navarana’s grave – the resting place of the wife and fellow expeditioner of the Danish Arctic explorer, Peter Freuchen.